Sheet-counting device for printing-presses.



No. 657,792. v Patented Sept. H, |900. E. C. SEYMOUB.

SHEET COUNTING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

(Application filed .May 22, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

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No. 657,792. 'Patented sept. n, |900.

- E. c. SEYMOUR.

SHEET COUNTING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

(Application filed May 22, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEncE EDWARD O. SEYMOUR, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN,ASSIGNOR TO'THE ALUMINUM PLATE AND PRESS COMPANY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.,AND PLAINFIELD,

NEWv JERSEY.

SHEET-COU'NTING DEVIC E FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 657,792, datedSeptember 11, 1900.

l Application led May 22, 1900. Serial No. 17,567. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD C. SEYMOUR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of IVayne and State of Michigan,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-CountingDevices for Printing-Presses, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

Sheet-countin g devices for printing-presses are usually arrangedadjacent to the delivery end of the machine and operatively connectedwith the delivery-fly, so that every time a sheet is thrown over uponthe receiving-platform by the fly the counting mechanism registers it.With such an arrangement the counting mechanism is positively connectedwith the sheet-delivery fly, and it will be clear that every movement ofthe Iiy into delivery position will be registered upon the counting`mechanism whether or not a sheet is delivered. 'This is, in fact, trueof any arrangement of the counting mechanism in which aconstantly-operating part of the press is positively connected with thecounting mechanism. Such arrangements are objectionable, because theygive an inaccurate count of the sheets printed and really indicate onlythe number of movements made by the part of the press to which thecounting mechanism is connected.

The object of my present invention is to produce a counting mechanismwhich will accurately indicate the number of sheets actually printedirrespective of the number of revolutions made by the press; and to thisend my invention comprises suitable counting mechanism, suitablethrow-out mechanism for moving the impression-surface into and out ofoperative relation to the plate or form surface, means operating thecounting mechanismthrough one of the operating parts of the press, andmeans connecting the counting mechanism with said throw-out mechanism,Whereby the counting mechanism Will be moved out of operative relationto its operating mechanism when the impression-cyl inder is thrown awayfrom the plate or form surface, and will be thrown into operativerelation with its operating mechanism when the impression-surface ismoved into operative relation with the form or plate surface. IVith suchan arrangement it will be clear that the counting mechanism can beactuated only when the parts of the press are in posi tion to make animpression upon asheet, and that when the parts of the press are movedinto inoperative position, although they may continue to move, thecounting mechanism cannot be actuated, and hence it is impossible tomake an inaccurate count of the impressions made.

In the preferred construction of my improved counting mechanism I haveapplied my invention to a rotary cylindrical press, theimpression-cylinder of which is journaled in eccentric bearing-bushingswhich are capable of limited rotary movements for moving theimpression-cylinder into and ont of operative relation to the plate orform cylin der. In this preferred construction I mount the countingmechanism in a suitable bracket upon the pressframe, so that it will becapable of movement in its support, and I connect it by means of asuitable link with one of the eccentric bearing-bushings of theimpression-cylinder, the operating-arm of the counting mechanism beingarranged to be actuated by a pin or lug mounted upon a flange or collarsupported upon the projecting shaft of the impression-cylinder. Viththis arrangement it will be clear that when the eccentric bushings arerotated to move the impressioncylinder out of operating relation to theplate-cylinder, the counting mechanism will be moved backwardly awayfrom the impression-cylinder shaft, so as to carry the operating-arm outof the path of the pin or lug carried by the flange or collar on thecylinder-shaft. In the reverse operation when the impression-cylinder ismoved into operative relation with the plate-cylinder it will be clearthat the counting mechanism Will be drawn toward the impression-cylindershaft, so as to bring the operating-arm of the counting mechanism intothe path of the operating pin or lug.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will firstdescribe the same with i construction.

relation to the accompanying drawings and will afterward point. out thenovelty more particularly in the annexed claims.

1n said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of aprinting-press having my improved countingmechanism applied thereto, theparts being shown in operative position. Fig. 2 is a similar viewshowing the parts in inoperative or throw-out position.

1 indicates a part of the press-frame of a rotary prin ting-press.

2 is the plate or form cylinder, journaled in frame 1.

4 is the impression-cylinder, mounted upon the shaft 5, which isjournaled in eccentric bearing-bushings 6, said bushings 6 being in turnjournaled in the machine-frame 1 and formed with integral arms 7, whichare connected with any suitable operating mechanism, such astoggle-links S 9, by which they are operated for moving theimpression-cylinder into and out of operative relation with the plate orform cylinder,

10 is a counting device of any approved This device is mounted to slidein a bracket 11, secured to the pressframe 1 and formed withguide-flanges 12 for confining the counting device therein and at thesame time allowing it a longitudinal slidzing motion.

13 is a link pivoted at one end 14 to the counting device 10, and at itsother end 15 to one of the eccentric bearing-bushings G in which theimpression-cylinder is journaled.

1G is the operating rock-arm of the counting mechanism, suitablyconnected with the internal operating mechanism o1 the counting device10, so that every complete stroke of the arm 16 will register one numberin the counting device. The operating-arm 16 may be of any suitableconstruction, but is shown as formed with two parts, having aknucklejoint at 17 and a spring 18, mounted upon one of the parts andengaging the other, so that when the arm 16 is moved downwardly it willregister on the counting mechanism; but when there is a tendency to moveit upwardly beyond its normal position by external force it will breakjoint at 17.

20 is a collar adjustably mounted upon the projecting end of theimpression-cylinder shaft 5 by means of a set-screw 21. The collar 20supports a pin, lug, or screw 22, which in its rotation engages thecounter-operating arm 16 and registers the revolution thereon.

It will be observed from the above description and the accompanyingillustrations of myimproved counting mechanism that when theimpression-cylinder is thrown into inoperative position-that is, awayfrom the plate or form-cylinder, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings-thecounting device 10 will move away from the impression-cylinder shaft 5,so as to move the counter-operating arm 1G out of the path of the pin,lug, or screw 22, so that even though the cylinder continues to rotatethe counter will not be operated. From Fig. 1 it will be observed thatwhen the impression-cylinder is moved into operative relation with theplate or form cylinder the counter-operating arm 16 will rest in thepath of the operating pin, lug, or screw 22, so as to register everyrotation.

The specific construction of the counter-operating arm 1b', as abovedescribed, forms no part of my present invention, but is the inventionof Jerome l/V. Leary, who has made application for patent thereon,serial number of same being' 19,108, filed June 5, 1000. The object ofthe knuckle-jointed operatingarm is to avoid breaking the arm or thecounting mechanism when the impression-cylinder is backed up or rotatedbackwardly while the counter is in operative relation to it, and also topermit throwing out ol' operation the counting mechanism while the pressis printing the dead sheets or first lot of sheets which are run throughto properly test the register, the inking, and the general operation ofthe press.

With my improved sheet-counting mechanism above described I am able toobtain an accurate count of the actual number of sheets printed, for thereason that the pressoperator feeds a sheet into the press at everyrevolution while the cylinders are rotating in operative relation, andthe moment he finds that for any reason he will be unable to get a sheetinto position to be taken by the impression-cylinder he operates thethrow-out mechanism, so as to prevent the soiling of theimpression-surface by making an impression thereon, and this operationmoves the counting device out of operative relation with its operatingdevice. In this way the counting device is operated while the press isprinting and is not operated while the press is not printing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with the form and impression cylinders of aprinting-press, and means for moving the impression-cylinder into andout of operative relation with the form-cylinder, of a counting device,means rotating with a moving part of the press for operating thecounting device and means connecting the counting device with theimpression cylinder throw out mechanism, whereby the counting devicewill be moved out of operative relation with its operating mechanismwhen the impression-cylinder is thrown out of operative position, andvice versa, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with the form and impression cylinders of aprinting-press, and suitable throw-out mechanism for theimpression-cylinder, of a collar mounted upon the impression-cylindershaft, a pin or lug carried by said collar, the counting device havingan operating-arm which is adapted to be engaged by said pin or lug, anda link connecting the counting device with the throw-out mechan- IOO IIO

ism, Whereby it will be moved' toward and away from theimpression-cylinder shaft, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

3. The combination with the form and impression cylinders of aprinting-press, suitable eccentric bearing-bushings in which theimpression-cylinder is journaled, and `moans for operating saideccentric bushings for moving the impression-cylinder into and out ofoperative relation with the form-cylinder, with a counting devicenlovably mounted in a suitable support, a link connecting the movablecounting device with one of said eccentric bushings, an operating-annfor the counting device, and a part rotating with theinipression-cylinder and adapted to actuate said operating-arm,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

EDVARD C. SEYMOUR. Vitnesses:

CLAUD H. CANDLER, RoB'r. M. RAHALEY.

